April 01, 2004

Forget Me What?

What do you do when you aren't sure whether or not you sent someone a thank-you note?

While I was gone in Las Vegas, L finished all of the thank-you notes that were to go out to people who attended the showers in Chicago last month. One note, owed to a couple that shipped a present to us because they were unable to attend the festivities, may have slipped through the cracks. Despite my best efforts to track each gift and thank you note, we just aren't sure about this one.

I think the solution is simple. I told L that we - and by we, I of course mean she - should call this couple and flat-out ask if they have received a thank you note. If they did, then they'll get the added bonus of a phone call from us. Who wouldn't want that? If they didn't get a note, then they'll get a phone call and the promise of a thank-you note to be sent immediately. No harm, no foul.

Having a website read by many of the people coming to our wedding, however, lead me to believe there is a less personal way to fix future MIA thank you notes. (Warning: this method was not approved by L.)

ATTENTION ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY: IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A THANK YOU NOTE FOR A GIFT YOU GENEROUSLY SENT US, PLEASE CONTACT US IMMEDIATELY. THANK YOU.

Posted by The Groom at April 1, 2004 09:05 AM

Comments

We got a baby present from one of my parents friends and it reminded us, did we send a thank you for another gift from a different person. We had the same delima, but my lack of memory made me just send another, very late, thank you. When we went home my mom said she thought that friend number 2 receive two thank yous. The moral is do not rely on my memory!

I think the call sounds like a good way to go. I don't think you are offending anyone by doing that and just have L blame you for being drunk at your bachelor party and not keeping track of these things.

Calling them is a much better way to go. Around New Year's this year, my sister-in-law sent me a nice thank you for the Xmas gift I gave her. In February, she sent me another thank you note for the same gift, but this time with a note attached saying she "found the note under the bed and is now sending it- how embarrassing". What's really embarrassing is that she didn't remember that she sent the first one, and then tried to cover up by lying! Lame! The moral of the story is that people don't mind if you ask them if they got your thank you note, but if you try to cover it up, they will know and think you're lame.

I would just call and say thank-you. Don't do it as a call to ask whether or not you sent a thank-you. Just call and say thanks. That way, they are thanked either way. Especially if they are people you don't talk to that often, they'll probably appreciate the personal call more than the note anyway. And if they got the note too, they'll just think you're the most thoughtful people on the entire planet. And possibly send more gifts.

OK, now you're busted by the MOB too, but I had told L that I had not received one when I read your post yesterday. Since the MOG did not receive one, I feel much better, I thought we were being singled out!!!
MOB